While children are gluing feathers on a paper turkey at school, many of us will be breaking out the hot apple cider as if to say that winter is finally here….even though it’s 80 degrees in Austin. It’s true; the holiday season is here - just not quite with turtlenecks and scarfs.
It's common this time of year for families to gather and talk about that first Thanksgiving so long ago. What we don’t often hear about are the two dogs that accompanied our ancestors on the Mayflower. It’s possible that many other animals made the long journey, but history only records the presence of two dogs. That got me thinking, why were these two dogs recorded in history? I’m sure they were good hunters, but surely that wouldn't make the headline news of a pilgrim’s blog! I believe that the reason these two dogs made it into the first pages of our nation’s history is because they were the loved companions of the authors. One journal entry goes on to talk about how the spaniel was frightened by a wolf and hid between the man’s legs for safety. Now I know when my Bella hears a scary noise outside, the first place she runs is in my lap for safety. She knows that we will always keep her from harm. I’m sure that was the same type of relationship that the pilgrims had with these two dogs. They were probably sitting table side trying to sweet talk their way to a mashed potato on that very first Thanksgiving Day. So while you raise your glass across the table next week, take a few minutes to toast those furry friends that we all love so dear.
Every day at APA! we are thankful for the community we serve. We are thankful for the surrounding shelters and rescues who share our responsibility to speak for those who can’t. We are thankful for our hundreds of volunteers that sacrifice their time to make sure our dogs and cats have a future. We are thankful for the runners that get our dogs out for some sight-seeing and exercise through our Jog-A-Dog program. We are thankful for the volunteers that make sure our bottle baby kittens get the milk they need to grow big and strong. We are thankful for our medical staff that provides treatment to those pets that need a bit more care. We are thankful for our foster families that graciously open their homes for the short term puppy or kitty tenant. We are thankful that every day we can smile because another pet has a happy home through our community adoption sites. And we are thankful for all of the support that comes from our thoughtful donors. Without you, Austin Pets Alive! could not continue the work we do.
